The Use of Strong Passwords and Waging the Cyber Malpractices - Literature review Example

Argumentative Essay Student’s Name Instructor’s Name: Course: Date of Submission The recent rapid growth in technology has resulted to increased online services in different platforms and as a result attracting many users. This has led authentication to be of greater importance to every online user. The use of passwords is among the mechanisms established to deal with user security issues as well as protecting their online privacy. Passwords are employed to protect user’s important information that includes financial information provided to financial institutions or businesses that offer online money transfers (Kevin, Jonathan, Ayleen & Gary 2011, p. 2). Passwords are among the significant defence strategies by users against the increasingly rising of cybercrimes such as hacking, espionage, and financial theft. Password vulnerability has ensued to trespassing of user accounts, however many online service providers are giving user guidelines on how to construct secure passwords for improved security and privacy (Lixuan & William 2009, p.181). Although, many online platforms such as Microsoft and Google have intensified the use of the password guidelines to their users by providing tips on how to construct passwords with a mixture of letters, symbols and numbers, it does not hinder many users from using significant personal details as their passwords. Many users use birthday dates, personal names, family names, and administration numbers that are easily decoded by hackers to intrude into their accounts. The reluctance to usage of strong complex password to enforce password security still haunts many researchers and developers. Some online users underestimate the importance of strong and complex passwords since they have not fallen into the trap of the hackers and malicious online users (Lixuan & William 2009, p.185). There are innumerable benefits that are reaped from use of strong and complex passwords to every online user. This paper seeks to argue that it is important to enforce use of strong passwords. Argument Lixuan and William (2009, p.191) allege that the improvement of online security level principally depends on the users’ response towards strong password enforcement. The use of simple and familiar passwords results due to the cognitive load the user faces when remembering the passwords, the rise of various online platforms have added to the complexity of the matter; a user is required to remember different passwords. Therefore, strong and complex passwords are not preferred by many. The password policies embraced by many online platforms do not provide sufficient and simple way to understand information to the users stressing on the importance of using strong passwords. Hence, many users think that it is torturous to remember complex passwords since they are not aware of dangers associated with weak passwords. Provision of educative information to users by developers and online platform owners can play a significant role in helping them construct strong passwords purposely for improving online security and reduce cybercrimes. This will guarantee safety and security when conveying critical information and messages online. Furthermore, fear is also another contributor to either embracing strong passwords or weak passwords (Pilar, Jaeger, Gomes & Stein 2012, p.2). Fear determines and influences how an individual responds to situations. When fear is aroused towards the threat posed by online crimes, it results to users spending time to construct secure and strong passwords. On the contrast, when fear is channelled towards forgetting details and using a lot of time remembering the complex passwords it will lead to weak password construction that poses security gaps hence attracting attacks. Majorly, the need to construct complex and strong passwords lies in shoulders of the users who have the full control of password choice and preference (Kim-Phuong et al. 2007, p. 745). The need to creation of strong complex passwords has attracted many researchers specializing in various forms of passwords varying from text-based techniques, image-based mnemonic techniques, vocal verification, biometrics, graphical, keystroke rate, and proactive password checking (PPC) passwords techniques. Studies have shown that by 2009, there were 1.7 billion internet users and most of these users had accounts in different websites. Moreover, the users provided their personal and critical information to the sites entrusting them with the security of their data. However, it was realized that the vulnerability of cybercrimes had cost users approximately 290 million dollars annually. This heightened the need to develop secure online environment convenient to the users and the developers as well as for the wellbeing of the ever-growing internet usage and shifting of business transactions to online platforms (Biddle, Mohammad, Paul & Tara 2011, p.971). Since authentication and identification are the most elementary mechanisms for assessing the genuineness of the users to access their accounts, there is dire need to invest in secure, strong passwords that can help solve the complexity of security issue. Most people use trial and error method to remember passwords while others store the passwords in pieces of paper, whenever failure occurs, resetting the password is the only option left. The use of image-based mnemonic technique is best recommended since memorability of images is easy than text. The technique utilizes text-based and PPC methodologies to improve on the strength of passwords helping improve security level (Deborah Kim-Phuong 2010, p.708). Furthermore, Furnell and Leith (2006, p.4) state that another need for creation of strong passwords is the essence of the fact that although most offline systems provide restricted number of trials before locking the account user out, online platform allows users to feed usernames and passwords innumerable attempts. This gives the hackers and malicious online users the added advantage to keep trying on the derived passwords. The trend of invention continues to grow helping the attackers develop software used to aid the hacking process; with a variety of generated passwords, intruding into user accounts is made possible. The need to have secure online environment has forced some sites to improve the authentication and identification process by providing a questionnaire that requests for more specific user details such as mother ‘s name of the user during registering. Counter argument Contrary to the argument for the need of strong passwords, some users think that the strength of a password does not have any security implication on them. They use simpler, familiar and easy to remember passwords over multiple accounts. However, many have come to the realization of the impacts of those passwords when it is too late and they suffer the consequences. Therefore, it is advisable to embrace the practice of strong and complex passwords that spell war against hackers (Kevin, Jonathan, Ayleen & Gary 2011, p. 8). Conclusion The practice of embracing the use of strong passwords has contributed significantly in waging the cyber malpractices. This has led to development of a secure online environment. When users desist from using basic information about them themselves in their password construction process, it will be possible to lock out hackers who for a long time have been a challenge to online transactions. The necessity of strong passwords has stimulated the researchers and online stakeholders in developing different passwords construction techniques. Image-based technique can be said to be the best since it improves memorability and aids the complexity of passwords created. Online owners have the responsibility of improving the authentication and identification strategies since most lack restrictions on the number of trials to users, giving hackers an added advantage in the issue. Both the users and developers have the responsibility to play to achieve a secure and safe online environment hence the need to focus on password strength and complexity. References Biddle, R, Mohammad, M, Paul C O, & Tara, W 2011 “User Study Analysis, and Usable Security of Passwords Based on Digital Objects” IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, Vol. 6, No. 3,pp. 970-979. Deborah, N & Kim-Phuong L V 2010 “Effectiveness of image-based mnemonic techniques for enhancing the memorability and security of user-generated passwords” International Journal of Computers in Human Behavior, Department of Psychology, California State University Long Beach, Vol. 26, pp.705–715 Furnell, S & Leith, Z 2006 "Replacing passwords: in search of the secret remedy" Network Research Group Journal, University of Plymouth, pp.4-8 Lixuan, Z & William, C M 2009 “Am I Really at Risk? Determinants of Online Users' Intentions to Use Strong Passwords”, Journal of Internet Commerce, vol. 8, no. 3-4, 180- 197, DOI: 10.1080/15332860903467508 Kevin, C , Jonathan, D, Ayleen M & Gary T 2011 “Good Practice for Strong Passwords”, EDPACS: The EDP Audit, Control, and Security Newsletter, Vol.44, No.5, pp.1-13. Kim-Phuong L V, Robert, W P, Abhilasha, B, Bik-Lam, T, Joshua C, & Schultz E 2007 “Improving password security and memorability to protect personal and organizational information” International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Vol. 65, pp.744–757. Matt, B & Klein V D 1995 “Improving system security via proactive password checking” Department of Computer Science, University of California, Computers b Security, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp.233-249. Pilar, D R, Jaeger A, Gomes CA ,& Stein L M 2012 “Passwords Usage and Human Memory Limitations: A Survey across Age and Educational Background” PLoS ONE, Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Vol. 7, No.12., p.1-7, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0051067. Read More